Information Security Consultant at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Mar 27, 2023
Given you are a software engineer, I am supposing your question is in the context of software. If that is true, all I can tell you is that strong security development practices - end to end - are on the part of providers. We don't write software ourselves, but we depend on our providers to be at the top of their game. I suggest you look into the BSIMM, or OWASP.
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Cyber Security Consultant at a tech services company
Consultant
Mar 24, 2023
Small and large businesses seem to lack proper detection and response capabilities. For obvious reasons, detection and response is the most important aspect of cyber security. AI-based threat detection companies such as Palo Alto, Vectra, Darktrace, SentinelOne, CrowdStrike, and Exabeam SIEM are giving companies the most bang for their buck. Especially when it comes to real-time threat mitigation services.
It all depends on the staffing of the organizations. Do they have the staff to be able to manage additional network security tools? Can they address the additional alerts and information flow into their existing workflow? I would say this is challenging for most, so any aspect of security is likely to come from a managed service or in ways that are highly automated and easy to leverage.
If we are talking strictly about the network, the issue almost all SMEs suffer from is a lack of risk visibility. Consider the risks and vulnerabilities that exist in the network from ports that are unsecured to firewall rules that are no longer effective to rogue devices that are connected and no one in IT is aware. If SMEs simply closed all of these gaps effectively, they would greatly reduce the chances that they are compromised. The second area is threat visibility - meaning an actual attack unfolding. Once an attacker - say ransomware - bypasses an endpoint, they are free to waltz around the network for weeks. I think that the latest dwell time number is over 4 weeks. Four weeks of recon, command calls, lateral movement, credential compromise, data location, etc. That is enough time to make the ransomware attack really hurt and find all the partner companies that the attacker can move to next. Most large companies have NDR in place to detect and stop attacks - greatly lowering that dwell time and damage - but SMEs cannot afford most of those tools. There are new cloud-based NDR tools that are a lot less (CyGlass), and there are great options with Managed Detection and Response (MDR) companies like Stratejm. Either path, SMEs need to deploy tools or services that watch the network for risks, vulnerabilities, and threats.
Regional Director at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Reseller
Mar 23, 2023
Data breaches, malware, phishing attacks, weak passwords, insider threats, and lack of security policies are some of the most concerning aspects of network security for small and medium-sized enterprises since they may not have the same level of security measures and IT staff as larger corporations.
It's important for SMEs to identify and prioritize these risks and take steps to mitigate them to protect their business and customers' data.This could include implementing strong password policies, providing security awareness training for employees, implementing firewalls and antivirus software, and regularly backing up data. In addition, SMEs should develop formalized security policies and ensure that all employees understand and follow them to maintain a secure network environment.
Network Detection and Response solutions enhance network security by using data analytics and machine learning to identify, assess, and respond to threats in real-time, helping organizations maintain a secure network environment. These technologies monitor network traffic to detect malicious activities and threats before they compromise system integrity. They utilize advanced analytics, automating the identification process, making it possible to detect anomalies and threats more accurately...
Given you are a software engineer, I am supposing your question is in the context of software. If that is true, all I can tell you is that strong security development practices - end to end - are on the part of providers. We don't write software ourselves, but we depend on our providers to be at the top of their game. I suggest you look into the BSIMM, or OWASP.
Small and large businesses seem to lack proper detection and response capabilities. For obvious reasons, detection and response is the most important aspect of cyber security. AI-based threat detection companies such as Palo Alto, Vectra, Darktrace, SentinelOne, CrowdStrike, and Exabeam SIEM are giving companies the most bang for their buck. Especially when it comes to real-time threat mitigation services.
It all depends on the staffing of the organizations. Do they have the staff to be able to manage additional network security tools? Can they address the additional alerts and information flow into their existing workflow? I would say this is challenging for most, so any aspect of security is likely to come from a managed service or in ways that are highly automated and easy to leverage.
If we are talking strictly about the network, the issue almost all SMEs suffer from is a lack of risk visibility. Consider the risks and vulnerabilities that exist in the network from ports that are unsecured to firewall rules that are no longer effective to rogue devices that are connected and no one in IT is aware. If SMEs simply closed all of these gaps effectively, they would greatly reduce the chances that they are compromised. The second area is threat visibility - meaning an actual attack unfolding. Once an attacker - say ransomware - bypasses an endpoint, they are free to waltz around the network for weeks. I think that the latest dwell time number is over 4 weeks. Four weeks of recon, command calls, lateral movement, credential compromise, data location, etc. That is enough time to make the ransomware attack really hurt and find all the partner companies that the attacker can move to next. Most large companies have NDR in place to detect and stop attacks - greatly lowering that dwell time and damage - but SMEs cannot afford most of those tools. There are new cloud-based NDR tools that are a lot less (CyGlass), and there are great options with Managed Detection and Response (MDR) companies like Stratejm. Either path, SMEs need to deploy tools or services that watch the network for risks, vulnerabilities, and threats.
Data breaches, malware, phishing attacks, weak passwords, insider threats, and lack of security policies are some of the most concerning aspects of network security for small and medium-sized enterprises since they may not have the same level of security measures and IT staff as larger corporations.
It's important for SMEs to identify and prioritize these risks and take steps to mitigate them to protect their business and customers' data.This could include implementing strong password policies, providing security awareness training for employees, implementing firewalls and antivirus software, and regularly backing up data. In addition, SMEs should develop formalized security policies and ensure that all employees understand and follow them to maintain a secure network environment.